Pruning shears



Jan. 7, 1941.

H. H. CANTRELL PRUNING SHEARS Filed March 18, '1940 aga 1 TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to pruning shears, one of the objects being to provide a simple and emcient device of this character utilizing a blade which not only acts to bite into the material being 5 cut but also to slide longitudinally or edgewise during such action, thereby to increase the efficiency of the tool.

A further object is to provide a tool the parts of which can be assembled readily and also readily taken apart, as when it is desired to sharpen the blade.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of 20 parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing 25 Figure 1 is a side elevation of pruning shears embodying the present improvements.

Figure 2 is a central vertical longitudinal sec-. tion therethrough.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

30 Figure 4 is a section on line 44, Figure 1. Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5, Figure 1. Referring to the figures by characters of reference, l designates a handle one end of which is offset as at 2 and formed with a slot 3. This offset portion mergesinto a straight jaw 4 having a longitudinal groove 5 in one face thereof and extending throughout its length.

Another handle 6 has an offset portion 1 at one end which is reduced in thickness so as to be extended through slot 3. This offset portion merges into a jaw 8 having working face formed with a groove 9 extending longitudinally thereof. This groove is filled by a wear strip l0 formed of 45 soft metal. Jaw 8 is joined to the offset portion 2 by means of a pivot screw or stud II extending transversely thereof and into the offset portion 2.

A cutting blade l2 which preferably increases in thickness toward its back I3, is removably seat- 50 ed in engagement with the jaw 4, the back l3 being so proportioned as to slide into and be held firmly by the walls of the groove 5. This blade has an ear I4 extending from one end into a slot l5 provided in the oifset portion lof handle 6. The 55 wing is formed with a transverse 5101; I6 and extending into this slot is a stud ll removably seated in the offset portion 1.

A spring I8 can be interposed between the handles I, and 6 for holding them normally spread apart and for holding the cutting edge of the 5 blade I2 normally pressed against the strip Hi.

When the handles are pressed together or toward each other against the action of spring 15 the jaws 4 and 8 are also moved toward each other about the pivotal connection II and as blade I2 is 10 carried by jaw 4 while stud I! is movable with the handle of jaw 8, this movement of the jaws toward each other will cause the blade IE to move longitudinally as it cuts into the material interposed between it and bar Ill and this action will continue until the blade has been pressed completely through the material and into contact with the soft metal strip I0. When the jaws are moved apart by releasing one of the handles of the blade will be shifted longitudinally in the opposite direction to its normal position.

To remove the blade for the purpose of sharpening it it is merely necessary to remove the stud ll, grasp the projecting corner ll! of the back of the blade and pull said blade out of the groove 5. Stud I! can be in the form of a screw as shown particularly in Figure 5. A hole is provided in the offset portion 2 of handle I through which the screw or stud ll can be reached for the purpose of removing it or replacing it. This hole has been shown at 20 in Figures 1 and 5.

What is claimed is:

1. Shears comprising pivotally-connected crossed handles, jaws carried by each handle, one of said jaws having a longitudinal groove, a blade removably seated within the groove and mounted to slide therein, and means carried by the handle of the other jaw and cooperating with the blade for imparting a sliding movement to the blade during the relative swinging movement of the jaws.

2. Shears including pivotally-connected jaws having crossed handles, one of said jaws having a longitudinal groove, a blade slidable longitudinally within the groove and having its cutting edge positioned for engagement with the other jaw, a slotted ear extending from the blade, and a stud carried by one of the handles and cooperating with the ear to slide the blade longitudinally during the relative swinging movement of the jaws.

3. Shears including pivotally-connected crossed handles, jaws carried by the respective handles, one of said jaws having a longitudinal groove, a blade slidable longitudinally within the groove and dle of the other jaw and positioned within one of said offset portions, a blade having a back held by and slidable within the groove, said blade hav ing one edge movable into position substantially parallel with and against the other jaw, and a slotted ear extending from the blade and engaged by the stud, said slotted ear and stud cooperating to impart a sliding movement to the blade relative to the jaws during the swinging movement of the jaws relative to each other.

HARLEY H, CANTRELL. 

